Angel thinks about the effect Hell has had on Los Angeles. The sun and moon both being in the sky has had an effect on demons and vampires alike, heightened senses pumping their bloodlust. It hasn’t, however, had any effect on the abilities of primordial Old Ones, such as Illyria, as he discovers after being thrown through a building.

As Angel tries to explain the Sanskrit to Illyria, the Goddess is having no part of it, raining down blows on him. He tries to defend himself, using a dagger to pierce her armour. As they battle however, time keeps changing – it appears Illyria’s time displacement field is unstable, and Angel is experiencing various parts of his life as Illyria pummels him. Spike tells his models to stand well back – Illyria has been cranky for a while.

When the dagger proves useless, Angel sees a dead security guard on the ground – and his firearm. He picks it up and levels it at Illyria, who easily batters it aside. She has had enough and wants Angel gone. She pins his hands to the wall with daggers and takes a third, jabbing it across his throat.

Angel is only saved from decapitation by the intervention of Spike. As he calms Illyria down, Angel recovers from the time displacement – just in time for his dragon to fire flames through the wall! Illyria is delighted at the prospect of a great battle and stands defiantly in front of the resting dragon. She tells it to strike, which it does – giving the Old One more fuel for her fiery anger.

As Spike takes a wounded Angel to one side, he fears that their little paradise is compromised: the demon lords will now know where he and his crew are – and if they didn’t, the dragon battling the God just gave their location away.

The dragon and Illyria continue their battle. It swallows her and spits her out. This angers her further. Angel points out that she’s showing real emotion – but Spike is quick to point out that if Angel hadn’t come to his home, this wouldn’t have happened. Spike and Illyria had nothing to do with the murder of Kr’Ph in Westwood: Connor arrives and verifies this. He’s been working with Spike and Illyria, who have been saving humans and sending them to him – just like Angel. Spike rubs it in Angel’s face: by day he’s a Hugh-Hefner-wannabe but, by night, he works with Angel’s son. Angel leaves bitterly, with things now awkward between him and his son.

He returns to Wesley. He doesn’t reveal that he has seen Illyria – it would only hurt the ghost. Or play into his unknown plans.

Elsewhere the demon lords of Los Angeles have gathered. Of course, they are increasingly concerned about Angel. Burge wants him dead, with or without permission from the others. As they argue about their plans, Angel and Wesley stride in with a message: they can do what they want with Angel. Angel tells them to do their worst, challenging them to a battle. If he wins, they surrender their control of LA. The demons are gleeful – it’ll be a slaughter. They ask for two days to gather their champions to battle the vampire – two days for Angel to prepare to take on the champions the Lords choose.

He has two days to plan and to heal. There’s only one slight problem, he thinks, as he walks out of the room, still clutching his wound from earlier. He hasn’t healed.

He’s not a vampire anymore.

He’s been human since the Fall.